Printing and addressing machine



PRINTING' AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed 001'.. 2, 1916 l2 sheets-sheet l f @www J. 5. DUNCAN PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 2 1916 l2 sheets-sheet 2 J. @UNQAN FRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE 1916 l2 sheets-sheet 3 l Filed oct. 2

J. S. DUNCAN PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 2, 1916 l2 sheets-sheet .l'. S. [DUNCAN PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 2, 1916 l2 sheets-sheet 5 Sz, PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE 2 1916 l2 sheets-sheet Filed Oct.

July 3, 1923.

J. S. DUNCAN PRINTING AND ADDR-ESSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 2, 1916 l2 sheets-sheet '7 J. S. DUNCAN PRINTING' AND ADDRESSING MACHINE July 3, 1923.

Filed-Cctv 2, 1916 l2 sheets-sheet) 8 MMA wie

July 3, 1923. 1.460.711

J. s. DUNCAN PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed OCt. 2, 1916 32 sheets-sheet 9 July 1923.l

J. S. DUNCAN PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE 12 sheets-sheet 10 Filed Oct. 2, 1916 PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 2, 1916 l2 sheets-sheet )l www PRINTING AND ADDRESSING HAGIINE l2 sheets-.sheet W2 www. NN

Fatented `lilly' 3, 1923.

piani JOSEPH S. DUNCAN, GF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PRINTING AND ADDRESSIN G MCHINE.

Application filed October 2, 1916.

To all whom t may conce/m.'

Be it knownthat LdosErH S. DUNCAN, a citizen. of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and ,State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing and Addressing Machines, of which the following is a specication.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a compact and substantial machine of relatively simple construction for printing, in successive operations, from asingle body form and successively changing address forms to produce any desired number of individually addressed letters having the saine subject-matter.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a machine which can be operated by hand or by power embodying mechanisms for automatically and at the proper time feeding the paper to and removing it from printing position, feeding the ribbon intermittently, and feeding the address devices into and out of printing position.

Further objects of the invention are to provide simple means for adjusting the platen frame relative to the bed frame to vary the pressure of the platen upon the printing devices; to provide for easily removing the ribbon frcm printing position to permit access to the bed for changing the body forni; to enable the magazine which holds the address devices to be readily removed, permitting the machine to be operated without the use of address devices, and to provide various combinations of cicments adapted to perform the 'different functions which are essential to a successful commercial machine of this character, all' of which will be fully pointed out hereinafter in connection with the accompanying draw-,

ings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, in which- Fig. 1 is an elevation of the side of the machine from which the paper is fed thereto;

F ig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine with the ribbon mechanism withdrawn from its normal position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine.;

Fig. f3.- is a vertical section` on the line #1 -ei of Fig. 1;'

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail in section on the line 5--5 cf Fig. f;

"ii-ii of rig. 7;

Serial4 No. 123,233.V

Fig. 6 is an enlarged. detail in elevation of a portion of the ribbon mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a` vertical section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of a portion of the operating mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a detail in perspective of a portion of the operating mechanism illustrating the means for disconnecting the plate feeding mechanism therefrom;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section on the line 10--10 of Fig'. 2;

Fig. 11 is a vertical section on the line Fig. 12 is a vertical section on the line 12-12of Fig. 7;

Fig. 13 is a vertical section on the line 13-13 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 14 is a horizontal section on the line I1li-14C of Fig. 7;

Fig.` 15 is an enlarged detail in vertical section on theline 15-15 of Fig. 3, illustrating the normal position of the platen with the feed fingers gripping a fresh sheet of paper preparatory to placing it upon the bed and the 'discharge fingers gripping the printed sheetl preparatory to the removal thereof;

Fig. 16 -is a similar view illustra-ting the mechanism at the beginning of the return stroke with the sheet of paper disposed upon the bed;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged detail in vertical vsection on the line 17-17 of Fig. 3, illustratfng tbe normal position of the means for feeding the address plates;

Fig. 18 is a vertical section on the iine 18-18 of Fig. 17; and

Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 17 illustrating the position of the parts at the end of the feeding stroke;

y Referring to the drawing 5 indicates the bed frame of any suitable form and construction to support the various parts of the mechanism and particularly the bed plate 6 upon which the body form 7 bearing a plurality of lines of type is secured. platen guiding frame 8 is disposed above the bed frame 5 and supported thereon by springs 9 (Fig. 13) which permit movement of the platen uiding frame 8 toward and from the bed frame 5. Supported in suitable bearings in the bed frame 5 and disposed iongitudinally and at either sido thereof are a pair of shafts 10 (Fig. 7) hav- I..

ica

ing eccentric pins 11 (Fig. 13)l projecting from their extremities upon which are i, pivoted members 12 projecting upwardly throu h suitable openings in the bed frame 5 an the platen guiding frame 8. The members 12 prevent relative longitudinal o-r transverse movement of the bed land platen guiding frames. The upper ends of the members, 12 are engaged by screws 13, the heads of which rest on washers 14 spanning the openings into which the members 12 project so that by individually rotating the screws 13 at the corners of the frame,the platen guiding frame 8 may bedrawn downwardly against the springs 9 and to-` ward the bed frame 5. Substantially mid- Way of their length the shafts 10 are provided with arms 15 connected by a link 16. A screw 18 (Fig. 7) having a knurled head 19 is mounted in the platen guiding frame 8 at the feed side of the machine and threadly engages a pin 20pivotall mounted in a yoke 21 on the link 16. y operating the screw 18 through its knurled head 19 the ink I16 may be moved transversely of the machine thereby rocking the shafts 10 to simultaneously draw the platen guiding frame 8 against the springs 9 toward the bed guiding frame 5 or to permit the springs 9 to lift the platen frame'8 from the bed frame 5. Thus the platen guidingframe 8 may be adjusted toward and from the bed frame 5 to regulate the distance of the platen from the body form 7 as more fully set forth hereafter. ln setting up the machine the platen guiding frame 8 is adjusted with respect to the bed frame 5 by operating the screws 13 at the four corners to insure movement of the'platen parallel to the bed plate 6.

The platen guiding frame 8 is provided with a pair of supports 22 (Figs. 1, 3,) having tracks 23 angularly disposed with respect to the lines of type on. the body form P 7 to receive rollers 24 rotatably mounted on the platen carriage 25. The platen carriage P0 25 is thus readilyA movable transversely of the machine. and, as will be noted by reference to Fig. 3, 'the movement is at -an angle to the `-direction of the-linesof type on ,the

body form 7. A platen 26 is rotatably mounted in links- 27 (Fig. 15) pivotally supported in lugs 28 depending from the platen carriage 25 and is provided adjacent its ends with grooved anti-friction rollers 29 (Fig.

13). A shaft 30, disposed above' and extend-y' ing longitudinally of the platen 26, is supported by links 31 pivotally mounted on arms 32 secured to a shaft 33 which is rotatably mounted on the platen carriage 25. The shaft 30 Iis provided' at its extremities with flanged anti-friction' rollers 34.' the Hanges of which bear against tracks 35 ou the supports 22. -The flanges on the rollers 34 also enter the grooves on the rollers 29 and the rollers 29 engage the rollers 34 on either side of the flanges thereon. The rollers 29 and 34 are so proportioned with reference to the platen 26 that as the platen 26 rotates on the printing surf-ace .the rollers move along their tracks 35 without slipping and without any dra on the printing surface.

Referring to Figs. 15 and 16 it will be readily seen that the lanti-friction rollers 34 are movable over the grooved roller 29 Jto depress and hold the platen in prbper position to cause an impression to be taken in the manner hereinafter described' or permitted to be lifted by springs 36 (Fig. 4) secured to the links 27 and to the platen carriage 25. To automatically' rock the shaft 33 and thereby cause the laten 26 to move toward platen 26 so that the latter is drawn upy wardly by the springs n36. When the platen frame 25 reaches the end of i-ts forward movement to the righ-t, viewing Fig. 3, the dog v39 engages the pin 37 to rock the shaft 33 and thereby move the anti-friction rollers 34 rearwardly on grooved rollers 29 to press the platen downwardly into printing position and as the platen frame 25 returns to its normal position an impression will be taken.

A feed table frame 41 (Fig. 4) is hingedly7 connected' t-o the feed side of the machine. being supported by a pair of toggle links 42 pivota-lly connected at 43 and 44 tothe feed table frame 41 and the bed frame 5, respectively, and to each other at 46. A spring 47 revents the toggle from breaking when the feed table frame 41 is disposed in normal sition. A feed `table 48 is mounted on the feed table fraine 41 and is adjustable longitudinally of the machine. A pair ofv guides 49 are supported on a bar 50 extending brackets 51 formed on the feed table frame 41. The function of the `guides 49 is to limit the forward movementof the paper as it is fed' from the feed table 48 to the machine. The platen carriage 25 is provided witha depending portion 52 (Figs. 15, 16) having a ledge 53 adapted to pass beneath the guides 49. Rotatably mounted on the depending portion 52 is a vshaft 54 carrying a plurality of feed fingers 55 adapted to coop-4 erate with the ledge 53 to gripa sheet of paper. A spring 56 secured `to a pin 57 on the depending portion 52 of the platen earriage 25 and to a pin 58 secured to the -across the eed `table 48 and supported onshaft 54 normally holds the fingers 55 in engagement with the ledge 53. At the end of one of the supports 22 a dog 59 is pivotally mounted and provided with a pin 60 which Iis disposed in the path of an arm 61 secured to the shaft 54. The arm 61 is so formed that as the platen carriage 25 approaches the limit of its movement to the left (Fig. 15) it rides over the pin 60, rocking the shaft 54 and thereby lifting the fingers 55 sufiicien-tly to pass over the edge of a sheet of paper disposed yagainst the guides 49. When the arm 61 yhas passed the pin 60 the spring 56 returns the fingers 55 to normal position gripping the paper and depressing itsuiiiciently to disengage it from the stops 49. As the platen carriage returns the arm 6l rides under the pin 60 lifting the dog 59. Downward movement of the pin 60 is limited by a pin 62 on the support 22 which is engaged by a lug 63 on the dog 59.

The paper, being firmly gripped by the fingers 55, is drawn from the feed table 48 und'er stops 49 and across the bed plate 6 until it engages stops 64 arranged adjacent the discharge side of the machine. The continued movement of the platen carriage 25 frees the paper from'thefingers 5 5 and the paper remains 1n 1mpress1on-rece1vm carriage. l

The sheet bearing'the impression is'removed as the platen carriage 25 advances to dispose a fresh sheet above the bed late 6. To accomplish the removal I provide a shaft 65 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in the bed trame 5 to which a pair of arms 66 having fingers 67 are secured. Pivotally mounted at 68 on the arms 66 are fingers 69 adapted to cooperate with the fingers 67 to grip the sheet of paper as indicated in Fig. 15. Springs 70, secured at 71 to the fingers 69 and at 72 to the arms 66, normally hold the delivery fingers 67 and 69 in cooperating position. The iingers 69 are provided'with pins 73 which cooperate with rocking cam trapks 74 pivotallymounted at 75 on the bedjframe 5. ,A spring 76 normally retains the cam track 74 in the position indicated in Fi s. 15 and 16. Fixed cam tracks 77 are fisposed adjacent the lower ends of the camtracks 74 in the path of the pins 73 so that'as the arms 66 move to the position indicated in Fi. 16 the fingers 69 are separated from the ngers 67 As the arms 66 move upwardly the pins 73 engage the inner faces of the cam tracks 7 4, thus holding the fingers 69 from engagement lwith the fin ers 67 until the former have been inserte beneath the sheet of paper above the bed plate 6. Continued movement' of the arms 66 permits the pins 73 to pass the end .of the cam tracks 74 whereupon the fingers 69 are released and the sheet of paper is gripped between the fingers 69 and 67.

position during the return stroke of the p aten Return movement of the arms 66 causes the withdrawal of the paper from its position above the bed plate 6, the fingers 69 and 67 being separated by the engagement of the pins 73 with the fixed cam tracks 77 and the paper being deposited upon a table 78 suitably supported on the bed frame 5.

The means for feeding address devices bearingnames and addresses to and for supporting such devices in printing position adjacent the body form 7 is bodily movable to and out of printing position so that letters or other matter without names and addresses may be printed on the machine and when desired a larger body form than that employed when names and addresses are to be printed may be mounted on the bed plate 6. The mechanism last referred to consists of a frame 79 (Figs. 17, 18 and 19) slidably mounted in suitable guideways 80 on the bed frame 5 and provided with an auxiliary bed 81 adapted to support an address device adjacent the body form 7 on the bed plate 6. The frame 79 is normally locked in position by the members 82 engaging grooves 83 in the frame 79 and held in position b screws 84. By loosening the screws 84 the ame 79 is released and may be moved rearwardly to withdraw the auxiliary bed 81 from its normal position.

A magazine 85 is mounted on the frame 79 and is adapted to support a plurality of address devices 86 each bearing an individual name and address. Reciprocable slides 87 are supported by members 88 slidably mounted in the frame 79 and having dogs 89 normally held by springs 90 in position to engage the lowest address device 86 in the magazine 85 and move the same forward and in a direction longitudinally ot the body form 7 beneath the guides 91 to position upon the auxiliary bed 81. When the address device has nearly completed its forward movement it engages projections 92 on loosely mounted lauxiliary slides 93 the function of which is to move the address de* vices in the reverse direction after an impression has been taken therefrom. The slides 93 have abutments 94 at their rearward ends adapted to be engaged bythe tails of the dogs 89 when the slides 87 have nearly comlll.;

pleted their return movement. Thus it will be seen that while the slides 93 are actuated by the reciprocating movement of the dogs 89 there is considerable lost motion between the parts yand consequently an address device 86 on'the auxiliary bed 81 will /not be removed therefrom until the dogs have nearly reached the limit of. their rearward travel and meanwhile an' impression `has been taken from the address device. The address device 86 is prevented from returning along its original ath by guide dogs 95 which cause the ad ress device to move in the direction indicated by the arrow on Fig. 17 to.

to a chute 97 leading to a card index drawer or tra 98 in which it is packed by a packer 99 (Fig. 10) pivoted at 100 on the bed frame 8 and actuated in the manner presently to be described. In the normal operation of the machine an address device is removed from the" auxiliary bed 81 at each rearward movement ofthe slides 87 and is delivered to the 'drawer or tray at'the next forward stroke of the slides 87 while a fresh address device is positioned upon the auxiliary bed 81. To support lthe address device 1n the lmagazine 85 after thedogs 89 have removed the lowermost address device and until the dogs 89 again return I provide amember 101 (Fig. 14) pivotally mounted at one end von the bed frame 5 and having flanges 102 arranged thereon and directed upwardly beneath the magazine 85. The member 101 is disposed in the path of a shaft 103 connecting the slides 87 (Fig. 10) and is so formed that as the slides 87 advance the member 101 is 'lifted `and retained in lifted position untill the slides 87again return to their original osition. The address devices 86 are, there-- Ifore, always supported by the flanges 102 except When the dogs 89 are positioned to pick up the lowermost address device.

Impressions are taken through a ribbon 104 carried by spools 105 and 106 which are in turn mounted in brackets 107I and 108 (Figs. 10, 11) lmovable bodily and longitudinally to the position indicated 1n Fig. 2 in order that the ribbon 104 may be readily withdrawn from printing position to permit inspection and replacement of the body form 7. The' brackets 107 and 108 slide longitudinally on' tracks 109and'110, the former being secured to the bed frame 5 and the latter to the support 22 on the oposite side of the machine. Secured to the Brackets 107 and 108 are racks 111 and 112,

ythe former engaging a pinion 113 on a shaft 114 journaled in suitable bearings in the platen bed frame 8. A pinion 115 on the opposite end of the shaft 114 meshes with a pinion 116 supported thereabove which in turn meshes with the rack 112. By the arrangement just described the brackets 107 and`108, may be moved bodily and longitudinally in unison alon their tracks 109 and 110 to carry the ri bon 104 evenly across the bed plate 6. I provide an operating handle 117 on the bracket 107 to permit the operator t readily move the brackets 107 and 108 to the position indicated in Fig. 2. A latch 118 is pivotally mounted at 119 on the handle 117 and is provided with a dog 120 normally held by a spring-121 in position toengage a pin 122y on the platen ed frame 8, thus locking the brackets 107 `and 108 in normal position. The latch 118 is so'formed th t when the handle 117 is grasped by the o (erator the dog 120 is withdrawn from the pin 122. l

The spools 105 `and 106 are loosely journaled in bearings 123 (Fig. 4) in the inner ends of the brackets 107 and 108 and at their outer ends -are adapted to' be engaged b members 124 mounted in the brackets 107 and 108 and pressed by springs 125 toward the ends of the spools-105 and 106. Knurled heads 126 on the members 124 permit rotation of the spools 105,-and 106 to wind and re-Wind the ribbon 104., .The opposite ends of the spools 105` and 106 are adapted to be engaged by clutch fingers 127 on shafts 128 rotatably' mounted in suitable bearings in the platen frame 8 and -provided with operating handles 129 so that the ribbon 104 may be manuall wound .and lre'wound from the feed side o ribbon 104 is in normal position. Secured to the shafts 128 are ratchets 130 and 131 (Fig. 13) and loosely mounted- 0n the shafts 128 aremembers 132 and 133 carrying pawls 134 and 135 engaging the ratchets 130 and 131.l Springs 136 maintain the pawlsi134 and 135 in engagement with the ratchets.' The members 132 and 133 are connected to rods 137 and 138 extending downwardly through the bed frame 5, the rod. 137 being provided with a notch 139 adapted to be engaged by the end of a rocker 140 pivotally mounted on'an eccentric pin 141 formed on a rotatable member 142 which is mounted on the bed frame 5 and provided with an operating handle 143 (Fig. 1). By means of the operatin handle 143 the rocker 140 may be shied lengthwise to withdraw one end from operative relation to the rod`138 and engage its other end with the notch 139 in the rod 137 to feed the ribbon in one direction, or to withdraw said end from operative relation to said notch and to project the other end of the rocker beneath the lowerend of the rod 138 to the machine when the feed -the ribbon' 'in the opposite direction when the rocker is rocked as hereafter described.

To lift the ribbon 104 above the level of the printing plate 7 when it is necessary to move the ribbon to the position indicated in Fig. 2 I provide a member y144 (Fig. 2) pivotally mounted on the bracket 107l and extending beneath the ribbon. The member 144 is held in its lower or normal positionV by a sprin 145 secured to a pin 146 thereon and to t e'bracket 107. The member 147 is rotatably mounted in the bracket 107 and is provided with an operating handle 148 and with a cam surf-ace engaging beneath the member 144 so that when the member 147 is rotated the member 144 is' lifted to lift the ribbon 104 above the level of the body form 7. rEhe opposite end of the ribbon 104 is normally maintained in' proper insegni relation to the body form 7 by a member 149 (Fig. 12) extending above and transversely of the ribbon which member is pivotally mounted on the platen frame 8 and is provided with a finger-piece 150 permit ting `it to be moved to operative position -against a spring 151 securedto a pin 152 on the platen frame 8 and to a pin 153. A latch 154 controlled by a spring 155 engages a pin. 156 on the member 149 and retains it in operative position. When the member 149 is released from the latch 154 the spring 151 moves the member 149 to inoperative position so that the ribbon 104 may be withdrawn as indicated in Fig. 2.

To prevent the taking of impressions from various protuberances on the address devices 86 I provide a shield 157 (Fig. 3) having an opening 158 therein, the shield 157 beu ing supported by an arm 159 on a pivoted member 160 which permits the shield 157 to be lifted when the ribbon 104 is to be removed. The shield 157 is disposed above the ribbon with its opening 158 registering with the portion of an address device 86 bearing a name and address. The shield 157 is constructed of thin sheet metal so that the platen 26 passes readily thereover.

The operating mechanism for the machine includes a rock arm 161 (Fig. 2) secured to a shaft 162 journaled in suitable bearings in the bed frame 5 and provided with an operating handle 163. The rock arm 161 is connected to the platen carriage 25 by a pair of links 164 so that as the arm 161 is rocked the platen carriage 25 is moved transversely of the machine. A bevel segment 165 is secured to the shaft 162 and meshes with a bevel pinion 166 loose on a stub shaft 167 supported in suitable bearings on the bed frame 5. The bevel pinion 166 is secured to sleeves 168 and 169 on the stub shaft 167, -the sleeve 169 being provided with a cam 170 enga ing a roller 171 on the rocker 140 (Fig. 1 The roller 171 is held in engagement with the cam 170 by a spring 172 secured to the rocker 140 and to the bed frame 5. Obviously when the arm 161 is rocked the rocker 140 will be swung on its pivot 141 to operate one or the other of the rods 137 138 and advance the ribbon 104 in the manner previously described.

rIihe sleeve 168 is provided with an arm 173 (Figure 12) which is connected to a lug 174 on a ysemi-casing 175 partially enclosing a rod 176 and a spring 177' (Figs. 8, 9). The semi-casing 175 is slidably mounted on the rod 176 which extends through the springl 177. One end of the semi-casing 175 is provided with a shoulder 178 engaging the spring -177 the other end of which rests against a shoulder 179 on a complementary semi-casing 180-fastened on the rod 176. The semi-casing 180 is provided with a lug 181 secured to an arm 181 machine.

loosely mounted on a shaft 182 and having an opening 182 therein adapted to receive the end of a pin 183 slidably mounted in suitable bearings in a rocker 184 mounted on the shaft 182. The pin 183 is normally pressed by a spring 186 in the direction of the arm 181 and the arm 181 is provided with a'cam face 187 in the path of the end of the pin 183 so that the pin 183 will automatically enter the opening 182 to. connect the operating mechanism to the rocker 184. A finger piece 188 on the pin 183 is adapted to engage an abutment 189 when the pin 183 is moved laterally against the spring 186 to release the rocker 184 from the operating mechanism.

An arm 190 of the rocker 184 (Fig. 10) is connected by a link 191 to the shaft 103 so that movement `of the rocker 184 is imparted to the shaft 103 and therefore to the slides 8T upon which the dogs 89 are supported. Rollers 192 (Fig. 14) on the shaft 103 engage tracks 193 to reduce the friction as the slide is operated. link 194 (Fig. 10) connects the rocker 184 to an arm 195 on the packer 99 which engages and moves the printing devices 86 rearwardly in the drawer or tray 98 as the rocker 184 swings rearwardly.

The arm 181 is provided with a lateral extension 196 (Fig. 7) connecting it with an arm 197 on shaft 182 (Fig. 11) at the opposite side of the machine. A link 198 is loosely mounted in the end of the arm 197 and provided with a hooked end 199 adapted to engage a notch 2,00 in a vertically movable rack bar 201 guided by suitable lugs on the bed frame 5. A spring 202 secured to the link 198 and to a pin 203 on the .bed frame 5 normally holds the hooked end 199 of the link 198 in engagement with the notch 200. The rack bar 201 is provided with a rack 204 engaging a pinion 205 on the shaft 65 to which the arms 66 previously described are secured. When the link 198 is connected to the member 201 in the manner described the rocking of the arm 181 will reciprocate the rack bar 201 and thereby rotate the shaft 65 to actuate the arms 66` thus causing the delivery fingers 67 and 69 to pick up the paper and remove it from the As it is desirable that the arms 66 be moved to inoperative position when it is necessary to. move the ribbon mechanism to the position indicated in Fig. 2 l provide a rod 206 supported on the bed frame 5 and provided with a finger 207 engaging the link 198. The rod 206 extends through the` bed frame 5` its end 208 being -so disposed as to be readily operable to thrust the link 198 rearwardly and free it from the notch 200. The weight of the member 201 then causes the shaft -65 to rotate, withdrawing the arms 66 to the position indicated in Fig. 16, When the arm 181 is again actuated the link 198 will automatically enter the notch 200 to'move the arms 66 to the position indicated in Fig. 15.

The operation ofthe machine will be readily understood from the following brief description thereof. The operator first disposes a number of address devices 86 in the magazine 85 and arranges a supply of paper on the table 48. A body form 7 is secured to the bed plate 6 in front of thel auxiliary bed 81 upon lwhich the address ldevices are held during the printing operation. The ribbon 104, which is necessarily in the position indicated in Fig. 2 while the body form 7 is being disposed upon the table 6, is moved to its normal position and the menibers 144 and 149 are moved to the position best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 12 to permit the ribbon 104 to rest upon the body form 7 and above the auxiliary bed. VThe shield 157 is disposed above the ribbon 104 in the manner previously described. The

pin 183 should engage the opening 182 to connect the operating mechanism with the means for feeding address devices from the magazine 85. The operator then advances the platen carriage 25 slightly and returns it to its normal position, indicated in Fig. 15, to. grip the first sheet of-paper. The platen carriage 25 is then advanced across the bed plate 6 carrying the sheet firmly until it engages the stops 64 when the sheet is released and rests upon the ribbon 104 in position to receive an impression. During the advance ofthe platen carriage 25 an address device 86 is advanced and disposed upon the auxiliary bed 81 beneath the ribbon and with the printing characters thereon beneath the opening 158 in the shield 157. During the forward movement of the platen carriage-25 the platen 26 is in its upper position so that no impression is taken. At the end 'of its forward stroke, however, the dog 39 engages 'the pin 37 thrusting the anti-friction rollers 34 into the position indicated in Fig. 16 and moving the platen 26 downwardly against its springs 36. The return movement of the platen carriage 25 carries the platen 26 across -the bed plate 6 in engagement with the paper and causes an impression to be taken from the body form and the address device. Simultaneously with the return movement'of the platen carriage 25 the arms 66-swing upwardly carrying theI fingers 69 beneath the paper and when the platen carriage 25 has reached the limit of its return movement the delivery fingers 67 and 69 grip the paper. A second sheet of pap-er is already presented on the table 48 in readiness toy be gripped by the feed lingers 55. Before the platen carriage 25 reaches the limitr of its rear-` `Ward movement the projections 92 have pushed the address device 86 from the auxiliary bed 81 from which it falls into spect to the bedframe 5 and this the track 96 in thev path of the slides 87. The dogs 89 pass behind the lowermost address device 86 in the magazine 85. Upon the next forward stroke of the platen carriage 25 the printed sheet, which is held by the fingers 67 and 69, is removed and deposited on the table 78 while a fresh sheet is carried to printing position by the lingers 55. Simultaneously a fresh address device is positioned upon the auxiliary bed 81 and the address device last used is moved by the slides 87 to the chute 97 whence it falls into the drawer or tray 98 in the path of the packer 99. The cycle of operations may be repeated indefinitely.

It will here b e explained that, reference being had to Figures 15 and 16, the platen roller 26 is in an elevated non-printing position when the platen carriage is traveling to the right and pulling a sheet of paper from the feed table 48 to the printing form 7. On reaching the right hand end of its travelythe platen 26 is automatically lowered into printing position through the medium of the trip 37 engaged by the part 39 as4 liereinbefore explained, and during the return 'movement'of the platen carriage'to the left side of the machine the platen travels over the sheet previously placed upon the printing form and an impression is made on the lower side of the sheet.

From the foregoing description of the operation of the platen carriage, it will be understood that the travel of the carriage away from the feed table is the paper feeding travel of the carriage, and the return travel or movement of the carriage is the printing travel or movement thereof. The swinging of the fingers 67 and 69 from the position shown in'Figure 15 to the position shown in Figure 16 is timed to occur immediately after the platen 26 escapes from the left hand side of the printing form- 7, at which time the printed sheetis freed from the .pinch of the platen and printing form, and the removal of the printed sheet is affected by the swinging movement of the fingers 67 and 69 during the positioning of the new sheet, the printed sheet always be- .ing in advance of the platen carriage during its movement to the right, as viewed in Fi re'15. A

hould the impressions not be. uniform it is an indication that the platen guiding frame 8 is not adjusted properly, with reiay be readily corrected` by operating the scews 13 at one or more corners of the machine.. the impression is uniform but too heavy or too light the entire platen guiding frame may be readily .adjusted with .respect to the bed frame by operating the screw 18 by means of the knurled head 19.

During the reciprocating movement of the platen carriage 25 the ribbon 104 isl adneeogii vanced step by step in either direction depending upon the position of the rocker 140 so that the ribbon is not quickly exhausted y by impressions of the same letters continuously 1n the same places thereon. The ribbon spools are readily releasable from the brackets 107 and 108 by lwithdrawing the members 124C so that 'the ribbon may be frequently reversed, thus preventing an undue amount of wear along the line of engagement of the ribbon with the address devices. When it is necessary to obtain access to the body form the ribbon 104 may be quickly moved by grasping the handle 117 and sliding the ribbon supporting 'mechanism bodily to the position indicated in F ig. 2.

lt is frequently desirable to print circulars or other matter without addresses and accordingly l have provided, as previously explained, for the removal of the auxiliary bed 81 from the path of the platen 26. The entire mechanism for feeding address dcvices is moved rearwardly with the auxiliary bed 81 and the operating mechanism is separated from the mechanism for feeding the address devices by moving the finger-piece 188 into engagement with the abutment 189, thus withdrawing the pin 183 from the opening 182. it .will be noted that this operation does not affect the movement of the arm 181 which is connected to the arms 66 carrying the lingers 6?' and 69 and consequently the mechanism for removing the pri ted sheets from the machine continues in operation whether the address devices are employed or not.

`While l have described the mechanism more particularly as operated by handV it is obvious that a source of power may be readily connected to the rocking arm 161 or other suitable portion of the operating mechanism and that the machine will operate with equal efiiciency under the actuation of power. lt is desirable that where the machine is to be operated by power a throw ofi' be provided which is manually' operable at will to prevent the movement of the platen 26 to printing position upon its return stroke, should the operator desire for any reason to prevent the taking of an impziession. l therefore mount a rod 209 (Fig. 3)v in a suitable guide 210 on the side of the platen frame 8 and connect it loosely with a bell-crank lever 211 having an extension 212 adapted to be moved'into the path of the dog 39. A spring 213 is disposed between a collar 214 on the rod 209 and the end 215 of the bell-crank lever 211. An operating knob 216 is provided on the rod 209 whereby the latter mayT be forced inwardly to thrust the extension 212 into the path oi the dog i0 as the platen carriage 25 starts its return stroke, thus causlng the ant-fricton rollers 34 to be'moved to the position indicated in F ig. 15 and permitting the platen 26 to be lifted by its springs 36.

Fremd-he foregoing description it will be understood that l have perfected a printing machine adapted for a widel variety of uses and particularly for the printing of ,letters simulating typewriting and bearing individual addresses. The address and body of the letter, being printed simultaneously through the same ribbon, closely resemfble letters written on a typewriter and therefore receive more attention than the usual circular letter. The machine is not, however, limited to the simulation of typewrit-ten letters since a variety of type faces may obviously be einL ployed. Moreover it is my intention to employ the machine for. printing circulars without addresses, and other matter. The movement of the platen 26 at an angle to the direction of the lines of type on the body form insures an even impression regardless of the length of individual lines of type, a diliculty inherentin printing machines employing ribbons, which l have overcome after much study and a large amount of experimental work.

It will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.,

claim:

l. In a printing machine, the combination of a stationary printing form having a plurality of lines of type arranged transversely thereof, an inking ribbon, means for feeding said/ribbon longitudinally of said printing form. and a platen roller movable transversely of said printing form at an angle to the direction of the lines of type thereon to cause an impression to be taken through said ribbon from said printing form.

' 2. In a printing machine, the combination of a stationary printing form hearing a plurality of lines of type 'arranged transversely thereof. a magazine adapted to support a plurality of changeable printing forms, means for successively feeding changeable printing forms from said magazine to a position adjacent said stationary printing form, an inking ribbon, means for feeding said ribbon longitudinally of said stationary printing form`v and a platen roller movable transversely of said printing forms at an an.- gle to the direction of the lines of type thereon to cause an impression tobe taken through said ribbon from said printing forms.

3. ln a printing machine, the combination of a stationary printing form bearing a plurality of lines of type arranged transversely thereof, a magazine adapted to support a plurality of changeable printing forms,

liti

ing forms.

l.versely of sai means for moving said changeable printing forms longitudinally of. said stationary printing form to and from printing position adjacent thereto, an inking ribbondisposed j above said stationary printing form, means for feeding said ribbon, and a platen roller movable transversely of said printing forms at an angle to the direction of the lines of type thereon to cause an impression to be taken through said ribbon from said print- 4. In a printing machine, the combination of a stationary printing form bearing a plurality of lines of type arranged transversely thereof, a magazine adapted to support a I of a stationary printing form bearing a plurality of lines of type, a magazine adapted to support a plurality of changeable printing forms, a bed adjacent said stationary printing form, reciprocable means movable longitudinally of said stationary printing forni to successively move said changeable printing forms from said magazine to said bed, means actuated by said reciprocable means Wheny moving in an opposite direction to successively remove said changeable printing forms from said bed, an inking ribbon disposed above said stationary printing form and bed, and a bodily movable platen roller to cause impressions to be taken through said ribbon from said printing forms. l

6. In a printing machine, the combination of a stationary printing form bearing a plurality of lines of type, a magazine adapted to support a plurality of changeable printing forms, a bed adjacent said stationary printing form, reciprocable means movable longitudinally of said stationary printing form to successively move said changeable printing forms from said magazine to said bed, means actuated by said reciprocable means whenl moving in an opposite direction to successively remove said changeable printing forms from said bed, an inking ribbon disposed above said stationary printing form and bed, a bodily movable platen roller to cause impressions to be taken through said ribbon from said printing forms, and a shield above said ribbon and bed provided with. an opening throu h through which impressions from said c angeable printing forms are secured.

7. In a printing machine, the combination of a stationary printing form bearing a plurality of lines of type, a magazine adapted to support a plurality of changeable printing forms, a bed adjacent said stationary printing form, reciprocable means movable longitudinally of said stationary printing form to successively move said changeable printing forms from said magazine to said bed, means actuated by said reciprocable means when moving in an opposite direction to successively. remove said changeable printing forms from said bed, an inking ribbon disposed above said stationary printing form and bed', means for advancing said ribbon longitudinally of said bed, a bodily movable platen roller, and means for moving said platen roller at an angle to the direction of the lines of type on said stationary printing form to cause impressions to be taken through said ribbon from said printing forms.

8. 'In a printing machine, the combination of a stationary printing form, a bed adjacent said stationary printing form, a magazine adapted to support a plurality vof changeable printing forms, reciprocable means for successively moving changeable printing forms from said magazineto said bed, a track beneath said bed, and means actuated by said reciprocable means when moving in an opposite direction for delivering changeable to said track.

9. In a print-ing machine. the combination of a stationary printing form. a bed adjacent said stationary printing form, a track beneath said bed, a magazine adapted to support a plurality of changeable printing forms, reciprocable-slides having means for successively` moving changeable printing forms from said magazine to said bed, and means actuated by said reciprocable means when moving in an opposite direction for delivering said changeable printing forms from said bed to said track.

10. In a printing machine, the combination of a stationary printing form` a bed adjacent said stationary printing form, a track beneath said bed, a magazine adapted to support a plurality of changeable printing forms, reciproeable means for successively moving changeable printing forms from said magazine to said bed, means actuated by said reciprocable means when moving in van opposite direction for delivering said changeable printing forms from said bed ttil said track, a drawer or tray, I and a chute leading from said track to said drawer or tray 11. n a printing machine, the combination lof a stationary printing form. a bed adjacent said stationary printing form, a track beneath said b'ed, a magazine adapted to support a plurality of changeable printprinting forms from said bed 

